Thursday, January 24, 2013

Bonus Blog P L E A S E B E S A F E ! !

Hello from me again today Ü

I don't usually post personal topics on here but my daughter sent me this just now and I felt I needed to share with as many people as possible.

Please copy and share with your contacts as well.  The more of us that can be helped should we ever be caught in this situation, the better.

Thank you all for your attention to this post.
My only piece of additional advice would be to use the "buddy system" whenever possible.  I know she mentions it, but REALLY try to use it!!!

Be safe out there,
Debra <3


All my friends, please read this. Lots of good information on protecting yourself from danger.
THROUGH A RAPIST’S EYES” (PLS TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. it may save a life.)
THROUGH A RAPIST’S EYES” (PLS TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. it may save a life.)
Through a rapist’s eyes. A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.


POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh – HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) .

b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.

If u have compassion reblog this post.
‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand.

REBLOG THIS AND LET EVERY GIRL KNOW
ATLEAST PEOPLES WILL KNOW WATS GOIN IN THIS WORLD.
So please reblog this….Your one reblog can Help to spread this information.
I hope you all will Reblog. Lets See how many of you really care for this. 

THIS COULD ACTUALLY SAVE A LIFE.

SOURCE: http://goo.gl/uzydR

Through a rapist’s eyes. A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from or attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots and garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.


POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: "can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter". Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh – HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans:  if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car:  Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS, LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side, peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) .

b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.

If u have compassion reblog this post.
‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand.

REBLOG THIS AND LET EVERY GIRL KNOW
AT LEAST PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS WORLD.
So please reblog this….Your one reblog can Help to spread this information.
I hope you all will Reblog. Lets See how many of you really care for this.

THIS COULD ACTUALLY SAVE A LIFE.

SOURCE: http://goo.gl/uzydR

HapPy NeW YeAr!!!


HapPy 2013!!!
I woke up to our first real dusting of snow this morning...  sooooo pretty and serene.  It was hard to get out of my cozy log bed and get going.

I hope everyone's year ended well, with many beautiful Christmas memories made with family and friends.  It was a really busy end of the year for me as I'm sure it was for y'all-- but, in spite of all the craZiness, it's still my favorite time of the year Ü



In October I did my last rug show of the year.  It was at the Brandywine Rug Guild, about 35 min or so east of Lancaster, PA and it's always been a very nice venue to vend at.   This is my booth and this was taken early before we had all canvases in front of the tables but you get the idea.
I thoroughly enjoyed the day and am grateful for the opportunity.


I had one new little rug for the show--


So, on to the new year and new beginnings--
How are y'all doing with your resolutions so far?  I'm happy to report, I'm still all in!!  Woo Hoo!!!
I decided I needed to make better lifestyle choices for myself.  I finally reached a point where I couldn't stand it anymore-- feeling sluggish, eating unhealthy, and always having ortho issues with my knees that were never going to get better if I didn't change something.
So, on that note, I invite y'all to join me in making a difference-- whether it be to yourself or to those around you, let's do this and make this time a WIN/WIN!!!

Your difference will be whatever you choose it to be-- mine is getting more needlework UFO's done, eating healthy, losing weight, getting fit, and being more productive with my new projects. 
I am not setting up myself to fail though... I'm going to start with a small goal and when acheived, set another small goal, and so on until I've achieved my (super secret) bigger goal.  I know I can do this-- we all can, right?  Ü

So, I have finished my first UFO rug wall hanging for 2013... R 190 Night Magic.  It's a larger version of one of my Punch Needle patterns by the same name-- it's actually a little bit bluer than the photo shows.  I hope y'all like it Ü

I love that feeling of accomplishing a goal...
Actually, I still have to bind it but that will take no time at all and can maybe get to it tonight. 
I'm checking this one in the "DONE" pile.  Ü


I'm caught up on my knitting.  For Christmas gifts to all the special ladies in my life, I knitted these cotton towels and gave the towels along with boutique soaps as an extra little gift to go with their bigger gift.  They all loved it but so far no one wants to actually "use" their towel!!!  What???


I made this scarf for my daughter Ashley who lives in Switzerland.  It's one of those big cowls that wraps twice.  I wanted to make something to keep her warm and cozy through the Swiss winter.
She told me it's working Ü



I also have a quilt in the works.  It's a quilt I have been working on for ETERNITY!!  I truly mean eternity.  I lived in a different house when I started it... 
I took it with me on a girlfriends quilt retreat and I had an epiphany.  I hadn't liked something about it for the longest time and couldn't exactly put my finger on what that was but because of that, I couldn't make myself look at it, work on it, NOTHING... and the bottom line is I'd hit a "wall" with it. 
I studied it for a long time that weekend and decided some of it just needed to be redone and there was no way around it. We've all been there at one time or another right?
Here is the progression--  I felt like a quilt surgeon by the time I was finished Ü

This is the block I ignored for SOOOO long...
So out came the dreaded seam ripper and I ended up taking off a major piece of the applique`.  



That heart had to go!!!
After I started ripping the seam out, I realized that seam was the only thing holding the fabric together so as I ripped otherwise I'd have a huge gaping hole in the middle of my block.  If I left it, there would be no way I could work with it and re-attach my new applique` over the hole.  I needed a temporary fix and the solution was to re-sew by hand the cut pieces as I ripped.  I couldn't make it pretty either.  The stitches were VERY "Frankesteinish" I'm embarrassed to say-- OY!! 
 Luckily, all will be covered up and cut out from behind anyway so in the end it won't matter.

From the back...

From the front...


The back all stitched up and ready for round 2!!


From the front...

Here are the hearts, ready for transplant--



The four blocks so far!!  It's coming along Ü  Woo Hoo!!!




I changed the shape and color of the heart and now I LOVE IT!!!!
I'm working on the embroidery now though and the embroidery will be simple stuff-- anyone can do it Ü.  The next design detail to change will be the bird and then I'll be on the homestretch.  Whew!!

Here's a close-up of the heart--  and, did you notice????  It's ORANGE!!!  Woo Hoo!!!

Oh, one more thing about this quilt-- I NEED to have it finished by next month because I'm taking it to the quilter in February when I travel to Austin, Texas for QuiltCon!!!! 
I'll post a picture of the finished quilt when I get it back and bound-- can't wait!!!  Ü 

Curious about QuiltCon????  Go here--  http://www.quiltcon.com/


I'm too excited to go!! It's going to be EVERYTHING Modern Quilting-- OH YAY!!!!!!

While home for Christmas, I picked up the quilt below from the quilter.  I still need to bind it  but I love how it turned out Ü  Geez...  SO much binding to be done ;-/



It was an improvisational quilt and I had the most fun making it.  I have a kazillion scraps left over from previous projects so I bet I could make a basketball court full of these quilts.  Scary huh?  YIKES!!
I named it My Happy Valley--

It's quilted in randomly spaced straight lines.  Danielle Wilkes from San Antonio quilted it and she did a GREAT job!!!  I'm going to bind it scrapPy Ü


My punch needle is still in the works-- I haven't touched it for months although I have more floss on the way so hopefully I'll be finished with that one by next week.
I really LOVE this project and I can't wait to show it to y'all all finished Ü

Next on my creative horizon...  Wool Applique`!!!  Woo Hoo!!
I have so many designs ready to go and so many more in my head--  I sometimes wish days were twice as long or I had a clone of me just so I could get all the needlework done that I dream about.  I think I need 5 of me just to make a dent in it!!  Ü
  
For now though, quilting is going to have to take priority for the next few weeks.  I have committed to a quilt show in Pennsylvania (more on that later), and I have SO many fun things I want to do for that show!!

Be back soon!!

Debra <3